The Shiner White Chapter 2, Paserene

The Shiner is a delicious white Franschhoek wine made up of a blend of 83% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Semillon Gris.

The wine is fermented in old oak and aged for just under two years with a portion of new French oak barrels.

Semillon Gris is a unique phenomenon in viticulture. Green grapes turn red one year, then back to green the next. The berries are initially pink or black and when they change color, they are known as Semillon Gris. They have a very heavy intensity in them, with much more character than normal Semillon grapes.

Chamomile, grapefruit and greengage greet you on the nose. Lilac and bergamot, developing on to the palate to pineapple and honeydew melon with some herbaceous notes and a racy acidity on the finish. Like a great Bordeaux Blanc from Graves, this will benefit from a little time in bottle, and will surely develop beautifully in the next few years, taking on more weight and those sought after notes of lanolin and baked apples.

Paserene is a joint venture between winemaker Martin Smith and businessman Ndabe Mareda, and their goal is to produce fine wines that are truly authentic to the place and people that made them.

The name derives from the Latin Passeriformes, the type of bird that includes swifts, swallows and martins; all birds that follow the epic migration from Europe to South Africa, representing the often travelled route by young winemakers gaining experience abroad before returning to their home country.